Physical Barriers

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in BSL

About this guide

Public bodies and organisations that provide goods and services are required by the Equality Act 2010 to take reasonable steps to remove physical barriers that Disabled people might experience when accessing their services.

Physical barriers can include things like steps, stairways, kerbs, exterior surfaces and paving, parking areas, building entrances and exits (including emergency escape routes), internal and external doors, gates, toilets and washing facilities, public facilities (such as telephones, counters or service desks), lighting and ventilation, lifts and escalators, floor coverings, signs, furniture, and temporary or movable items (such as equipment and display racks).

Go to the online version of our Physical Barriers discrimination guide (with BSL)

What the law states (PDF document to download)

Download this discrimination guide: Physical barriers (PDF)

What the law states (Easy Read Word document to download)

Download this discrimination guide in Easy Read

Take action

What kind of problem did you experience?

Could not enter a building

The accessible toilet was locked

Write a complaint letter

Take this action as a first step, to raise issues relating to a specific incident or problems experienced over a long period of time

Write a letter before action

Take this action if a complaint hasn't worked and you want to start a court case

Write a complaint letter

Take this action as a first step, to raise issues relating to a specific incident or problems experienced over a long period of time

Write a letter before action

Take this action if a complaint hasn't worked and you want to start a court case

To create your complaint letter, answer the questions below and our website will generate a letter for you. Alternatively, you can download and edit our template in Word or easy-read.

Download this template letter as a Word document: Complaint Letter – Removing Physical Barriers – Lack of physical access

Download this template letter in Easy Read: Complaint Letter – Removing Physical Barriers – no physical access easy read

Physical Barriers / Could not enter building / Complaint letter

I could not enter a building or shop because of a step or it was inacessible in another way

Use of your information*
Please tick this box if you are happy for us to use the information you provide below in policy responses and in monitoring reports for our funders. All responses will be fully anonymised before we share them. See our privacy policy here.
- Yes, I consent to my information being used for policy and monitoring reports
- No, I do not consent to my information being used
Your name
Your postal address - Line 1
Your postal address - Line 2
Your postcode
Your phone number
Who are you complaining to?
See 'Who to complain to' if you're not sure
Their postal address - Line 1
Their postal address - Line 2
Their postcode
Date
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you
[Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you. For example: I have a spinal injury and I use electric wheelchair to move around.]
Give details of what happened
[Give details of what happened, with date, time, place. For example: On X date at X time I wanted to enter into your shop at X address.]
Describe what went wrong
[Describe what went wrong. For example: I could not enter as there was a small step at the entrance. I had to shout for someone to come out and asked whether you had a portable ramp so that I could come in. I then was told by (insert the name or position of a person) that there was no ramp. He offered to push me into the building or to serve me outside. I was not prepared to do either of these.]
Describe the impact this had on you
Including being unable to access a service, feeling humiliated, any physical or financial impact, having your choices restricted.
[Describe the impact this had on you. For example: "As a result I had to go and find another shop that was accessible to me, wasting my time. I feel angry and as if I'm a second class citizen. I was made to feel like I was guilty for not being co-operative and for wasting other customers' time, when the only thing I wanted was to shop like everybody else does. This experience made me anxious. I feel my choices are restricted to large supermarkets, which are quite far away."]
Describe the adjustment you needed
[Describe the adjustment you needed. For example: "To enter the shop I needed level access, or a portable ramp. This adjustment is relatively inexpensive. It would have enabled me to use the service like everybody else."]
Edit this to fit your situation
[Edit this to fit your situation. There is a small step at the entrance, which could have been removed as required by the Equality Act. If it is not possible or reasonable for you to remove the step, you should have considered providing auxiliary aid - a portable ramp to enable me to use your service. By failing to do this you have discriminated against me. I believe neither of the alternatives you offered to me were satisfactory as they did not respect my dignity and independence.]
What would you like to achieve as a result of your letter?
1. An open acknowledgement that you have discriminated against me; 2. You either undertaking works to remove the step or buying a portable ramp that could be used by wheelchair users to enter into your shop; 3. Compensation for injury to feelings and any financial losses I have suffered as a result of the discrimination outlined above.
If you are requesting CCTV footage, insert the date and time of the incident and describe how you look
[If you are requesting CCTV footage, insert the date and time of the incident and describe how you look]
Can we contact you about feedback?
Feedback is important to us. Can we contact you by email about your experience of using our Disability Justice Project resources?
- Yes, you can contact me about feedback
Email address
Please enter your email address here.

To create your letter before action, answer the questions below and our website will generate a letter for you. Alternatively, you can download and edit our template in Word.

Download this template letter as a Word document: Letter before action – Removing Physical Barriers – Lack of physical access

Physical Barriers / Could not enter building / Letter before action

Use of your information
Please tick this box if you are happy for us to use the information you provide below in policy responses and in monitoring reports for our funders. All responses will be fully anonymised before we share them. See our privacy policy here.
- Yes, I consent to my information being used for policy and monitoring reports
- No, I do not consent to my information being used
Your name
Your postal address - Line 1
Your postal address - Line 2
Your postcode
Your phone number
Who are you complaining to?
See 'Who to complain to' if you're not sure
Their postal address - Line 1
Their postal address - Line 2
Their postcode
Date
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you
[Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you. For example: I have a spinal injury and I use electric wheelchair to move around.]
Give details of what happened
[Give details of what happened, with date, time, place. For example: On X date at X time I wanted to enter into your shop at X address.]
Describe what went wrong
[Describe what went wrong. For example: I could not enter as there was a small step at the entrance. I had to shout for someone to come out and asked whether you had a portable ramp so that I could come in. I then was told by (insert the name or position of a person) that there was no ramp. He offered to push me into the building or to serve me outside. I was not prepared to do either of these.]
Describe the impact this had on you
Including being unable to access a service, feeling humiliated, any physical or financial impact, having your choices restricted.
[Describe the impact this had on you. For example: "As a result I had to go and find another shop that was accessible to me, wasting my time. I feel angry and as if I'm a second class citizen. I was made to feel like I was guilty for not being co-operative and for wasting other customers' time, when the only thing I wanted was to shop like everybody else does. This experience made me anxious. I feel my choices are restricted to large supermarkets, which are quite far away."]
Describe the adjustment you needed
[Describe the adjustment you needed. For example: "To enter the shop I needed level access, or a portable ramp. This adjustment is relatively inexpensive. It would have enabled me to use the service like everybody else."]
Edit this to fit your situation
[Edit this to fit your own situation: The step at the entrance is a physical feature which prevents me from using your service you should have taken reasonable steps to change it. There is a small step at the entrance, which could have been removed as required by the Equality Act. If it is not possible or reasonable for you to remove the step, you should have considered providing auxiliary aid - a portable ramp to enable me to use your service. By failing to do this you have discriminated against me. I believe neither of the alternatives you offered to me was satisfactory as they did not respect my dignity and independence.]
What would you like to achieve as a result of your letter?
These are our suggestions of outcomes you might want to ask for, you can edit them to fit your situation.
1. An open acknowledgement that you have discriminated against me; 2. You either undertaking works to remove the step or buying a portable ramp that could be used by wheelchair users to enter into your shop; 3. Compensation for injury to feelings and any financial losses I have suffered as a result of the discrimination outlined above.
Can we contact you about feedback?
Feedback is important to us. Can we contact you by email about your experience of using our Disability Justice Project resources?
- Yes, you can contact me about feedback
Email address
Please enter your email address here.

To create your complaint letter, answer the questions below and our website will generate a letter for you. Alternatively, you can download and edit our template in Word or easy-read.

Download this template letter as a Word document: Complaint Letter – Removing Physical Barriers – Accessible toilet is locked

Download this template letter in Easy Read: Easy Read Complaint Letter – Removing Physical Barriers – Accessible toilet is locked

Physical Barriers / Could not use accessible toilet / Complaint letter

I could not use an accessible toilet because it was locked, blocked or not in use

Use of your information*
Please tick this box if you are happy for us to use the information you provide below in policy responses and in monitoring reports for our funders. All responses will be fully anonymised before we share them. See our privacy policy here.
- Yes, I consent to my information being used for policy and monitoring reports
- No, I do not consent to my information being used
Your name
Your postal address - Line 1
Your postal address - Line 2
Your postcode
Your phone number
Who are you complaining to?
See 'Who to complain to' if you're not sure
Their postal address - Line 1
Their postal address - Line 2
Their postcode
Date
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you
[Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you. For example: I have a spinal injury and I use electric wheelchair to move around.]
Give details of what happened
[Give details of what happened, with date, time, and place. For example: on X date at approximately X time I visited your restaurant at X address]
Describe what went wrong
[Describe what exactly went wrong. For example: I needed to use the toilet, but the accessible toilet was locked. I asked a member of staff to open it, but was told that it was not possible as it was not in use.]
Describe the impact this had on you
Including being you unable to access a service, feeling humiliated, any physical or financial impact, were your choices restricted?
[Describe the impact this had on you, including being unable to access a service, feeling humiliated, any physical or financial impact, were your choices restricted? For example: as a result I had to rush quickly to frantically search for an accessible toilet, it was physically painful, extremely inconvenient, stressful and most importantly humiliating.]
If you are requesting CCTV footage, insert the date and time of the incident and describe how you look
[If you are requesting CCTV footage, insert the date and time of the incident and describe how you look]
What would you like to achieve as a result of your letter?
1. A written apology; 2. A change in your practice, ensuring accessible toilet is not used for any other purposes and is open for your Disabled customers to use; 3. Compensation for the discrimination and injury to feelings that I experienced.
Can we contact you about feedback?
Feedback is important to us. Can we contact you by email about your experience of using our Disability Justice Project resources?
- Yes, you can contact me about feedback
Email address
Please enter your email address here

To create your letter before action, answer the questions below and our website will generate a letter for you. Alternatively, you can download and edit our template in Word.

Download this template letter as a Word document: Letter before Action – Removing Physical Barriers – Accessible toilet is locked

Physical Barriers / Could not use accessible toilet / Letter before action

I could not use an accessible toilet because it was locked, blocked or not in use

Use of your information*
Please tick this box if you are happy for us to use the information you provide below in policy responses and in monitoring reports for our funders. All responses will be fully anonymised before we share them. See our privacy policy here.
- Yes, I consent to my information being used for policy and monitoring reports
- No, I do not consent to my information being used
Your name
Your postal address - Line 1
Your postal address - Line 2
Your postcode
Your phone number
Who are you complaining to?
See 'Who to complain to' if you're not sure
Their postal address - Line 1
Their postal address - Line 2
Their postcode
Date
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you
[Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you. For example: I have a spinal injury and I use electric wheelchair to move around.]
Give details of what happened
[Give details of what happened, with date, time, and place. For example: on X date at approximately X time I visited your restaurant at X address]
Describe what went wrong
[Describe what exactly went wrong. For example: I needed to use the toilet, but the accessible toilet was locked. I asked a member of staff to open it, but was told that it was not possible as it was not in use.]
Describe the impact this had on you
Including being you unable to access a service, feeling humiliated, any physical or financial impact, were your choices restricted?
[Describe the impact this had on you, including being unable to access a service, feeling humiliated, any physical or financial impact, were your choices restricted? For example: As a result I had to finish my meal, I had to rush to frantically search for an accessible toilet, it was physically painful, extremely inconvenient, stressful and most importantly humiliating.]
What would you like to achieve as a result of your letter?
We recommend that you use our suggestions below, but you can edit these to fit your situation.
1. A written apology; 2. A change in your practice, ensuring accessible toilet is not used for any other purposes and is open for your Disabled customers to use; 3. Compensation for the discrimination and injury to feelings that I experienced.
Can we contact you about feedback?
Feedback is important to us. Can we contact you by email about your experience of using our Disability Justice Project resources?
- Yes, you can contact me about feedback
Email address
Please enter your email address here.